Your Morning Dump… Where Wyc is packing the ring (and Isaiah) for the lottery

Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here… highlighting the big story line. Because there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.

In the immediate aftermath of the 2007 NBA draft lottery, after the pingpong balls defied the Boston Celtics in their quest for a top pick, team co-owner Wyc Grousbeck promised that he’d never return to the draw room again.

On Tuesday night, he’ll break that reactionary promise. But why the change of heart?

“The parade,” said Grousbeck, referencing the team’s championship celebration after the 2008 title season.

…

At the 2007 lottery, Grousbeck wore a green pin-striped suit and a leprechaun-speckled tie that Red Auerbach gifted both him and co-owner Steve Pagliuca after they bought the franchise in 2002. The tie might return this year, but the suit will stay in the closet. Grousbeck has a new preferred accessory to wear in the draw room that he didn’t have in 2007.

“I will be wearing my championship ring,” said Grousbeck. “That is the one lucky charm I have in my life.”

Grousbeck is quick to downplay the influence of the person representing the team behind the scenes. Said Grousbeck, “I actually don’t believe that who is sitting there has any influence. … I actually believe it’s just pretty random and it doesn’t matter who is sitting there.”

ESPN Boston

Luck, chance, fate, fortune, karma, destiny…

To some, those terms are credible realities in an existential world. To others, they are the names of the ladies dancing tonight at the Golden Banana.

The Celtics might be one of the most successful franchises in all of sports, but you can’t deny their lack of success in the draft lottery.

Does the past have any bearing on what happens tonight? Like Wyc, I say absolutely not. It’s all about the numbers.

Full lottery odds with pick swaps and protections. #GameDay pic.twitter.com/sNacnXTKSW

— Ryan Bernardoni (@dangercart) May 17, 2016

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I’m no mathematician but those numbers are pretty good. Not a lock, but pretty good.

Just in case, I’m going to draw on my personal lucky charm… Maria Menounous.

Related links: Herald – Celtics draft history has been dismal | CSNNE – Celtics have seen how lottery can change fortune

On Page 2, the Rockets are going after Al Horford.

A person familiar with the organization told Sporting News that landing Hawks star Al Horford is the Rockets’ top-line goal in free agency, and Ryan Anderson also would be a possibility. Also, expect Morey to be creative when pursuing sign-and-trade deals involving star players like Blake Griffin, Jimmy Butler or Carmelo Anthony, should they become available.

Sporting News

Daryl Morey is going to have to fine tune his sales pitch after Houston’s disastrous season.

Even though they lack the James Harden caliber player, I’d like to think the Celtics (Brad Stevens, Eastern conference) have more to offer than Houston (no coach, stacked Western conference).

And finally, the Thunder beat Golden State?

We should first wrap our collective conscious around the idea that the Oklahoma City Thunder can absolutely win this series. They have two (healthy) superstars in their prime combined with a rugged frontline and a coach who apparently saved all of his genius adjustments for the postseason.

They have now won four straight games against the Spurs and the Warriors with two of those wins coming on the road. And they have done so in a manner that speaks to a renewed defensive commitment matched with a crunch-time poise they had not always exhibited previously.

We all knew that coming into the conference finals and while it wasn’t exactly shocking that OKC could walk out of Oracle with a 108-102 win in Game 1, it was still rather jarring to see them rally from a 13-point halftime deficit and make enough plays down the stretch to steal a game that was eminently winnable. Maybe we shouldn’t be so surprised anymore. They certainly weren’t, which was why their postgame celebration was muted.

SB Nation

I went to bed at halftime confident the Warriors were going to at least double their 13-point lead. Wrong.

In my opinion, the only outcome that will impact Kevin Durant’s decision in free agency is winning the championship. He’d never walk away from a chance to repeat.